Elvira

She also sang "Monster Rap" and "Haunted House" on the Elvira's Monster Hits album. Bush, recognizing her contributions to American (U.S.) culture. Elvira has become a symbol of Halloween, and owns the trademark to her wig and costume. In 2002 Chita Rivera became the first female Hispanic to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors award presented by President George W. One of the first successful horror hostesses, Vampira (Maila Nurmi), later sued Peterson over character rights issues. She received her first Tony in 1984 for her role in The Rink and her second for Best Leading Actress in a Musical in 1993 for her role in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Shortly after her marriage to Mark Pierson (now her business manager) in 1981, she created the character Elvira after a successful audition to be a horror movie show host. She was the first such host to be nationally syndicated. Rivera received two Tony Awards and six additional nominations.

Back in the US, she joined the Los Angeles-based improvisational troupe The Groundlings. [Quoted at http://www.geocities.com/Broadway/Stage/9942/inthe1226.html]. In Italy, she was the lead singer in a rock band and a chance encounter with Federico Fellini led to a small part in Roma (1972). You have long been considered a Broadway legend."" Rivera replied "Oh, God!" and laughed. She became a showgirl at The Dunes in Las Vegas at age 17. Indeed "In Theatre" magazine has suggested in an interview by Goerge Horsfall: " You must be tired of the term "legend", but let's get it out of the way. Born in Manhattan, Kansas, Peterson grew up in Colorado. Rivera is widely regarded by theatre aficiandos as a "living legend".

She gained fame wearing dark, gothic, and cleavage-enhancing clothing as host of Elvira's Movie Macabre, a weekly horror movie presentation. Rivera is planning on appearing in three plays in 2004: Nine with Antonio Banderas, The Visit and Ballroom. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is the screen persona of Cassandra Peterson (born September 17, 1949). She played the role of Nicky in the movie version of Sweet Charity with Shirley MacLaine. She went on a national tour with Can-Can. Chita also starred in the Broadway productions of Bye Bye Birdie, Born Yesterday, The Rose Tattoo, Call Me Madam, The Rink, Threepenny Opera, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Zorba.

Her performance was so important for the success of the show that the London production was posponed until after Chita gave birth to the couple's daughter, Lisa. On December 1, 1957, Rivera married dancer Tony Mordente. She was cast as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Story. Years later the role of Anita was to bring fame and an Oscar to another Puerto Rican, Rita Moreno in the film version. In 1957, Chita was cast in the role which was destined to make her a Broadway star.

Besides her ballet instructors, Chita considers that she learned a lot from Leonard Bernstein and especially from Gwen Verdon, with whom she participated in the Broadway production of Chicago. Wonderful with Sammy Davis Jr. In 1952, when Chita was 17 years old, she accompanied a friend to the audition for a Broadway production of Call Me Madam and ended up with the role. She followed this by landing roles in other Broadway productions, such as Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, Seventh Heaven and Mr. Among her teachers were Edward Villella, Allegra Kent and Maria Tallchief.